William bryce chalmers



Patented, Mar. l4, I899.

W. B. GHALMERS.

BOX 0R CASE.

(Application filed J was 7, 1898.

(N0 Modgl.)

' the lid or cover thereof.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

WILLIAM BRYCE OHALMERS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

BOX OR CASVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,032, dated March 14, 1899.

Application filed June '7, 1898. Serial No. 682,795. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BRYCE CHAL- MERS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented a new and useful Box or Case, (for whichI have made application for patent in Great Britain, dated November 27, 1897, No. 27,076,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention refers to an improved box, case, or package for containing articles or materials to be transmitted by post or otherwise; and theinvention consists in the construction and combination of the lid and box as hereinafter described, by which the lid can be readily secured on to the box and sealed thereon, the contents being thereby protected from injury durin g transit, while the said contents cannot be tampered with withoutinjury to or the destruction of the seal.

I will describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon Figure 1 shows in vertical section my improved box and lid, the latter being partly raised. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the lid closed. Fig. 3 is aplan view of the closed box, drawn to a smaller scale than the previous figures and showing the lid sealed by the postage-stamp. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a box and lid, the latter being raised from the box and showing a detachable hinge-joint, hereinafter described; and Fig. 5 is a similar View to that at Fig. 4, but showing the opposite side of the box and the tongue and slot fixing.

Referring to the drawings, A is' the box, preferably made of tin-plate metal, and B is The box A is formed with a slotted aperture A near the upper edge, and upon the side diametrically opposite'to such slot I form or fix an upstanding tongue of metal A The lid B has its downward edges B vertically divided at two places and the part B between the divisions bent inwardly, so that it lies about parallel and at a distance from the under surface of the lid. The divisions may be and preferably are not quite parallel with each other, so that the hinge-tongue B isgiven somewhat tapering sides. At about diametrically opposite to the hinge-tongue B I form a slotted aperture B in the top of the lid B.

The articles or materials to be inclosed are placed in the box A and the lid B is placed into the position shown at Fig. l, the hingetongue B of the lid passing through the slotted aperture A of the box. The insertion of the hinge-tongue B into the slot A is facilitated when the part B has somewhat tapered edges. The lid B is then closed, the upstanding tongue A on the box passing through the slotted aperture B of the lid, and the said tongue A is then bent down onto the upper surface of the lid, the parts then having the positions shown by the vertical section at Fig. 2. WVhen thus placed, the lid B and the box A are tightly united and inseparable from one another.

The combination of the detachable hinge- I joint B A, as described, with the tongue-fixing A B thus forms an important feature of the invention, the one being necessary to the other in order to form a perfectly secure con nection between the cover or lid B and receptacle portion A. The surface of the cover or lid B is provided with a label 0 to receive the address, and a postage-stamp Oor gummed' paper is placed over the tongue, forming a seal. Consequently the box cannot be opened without removing or destroying the stamp, and thus in this state it is practically as safe for sending through the post or by hand as a sealed letter.

When posting this box to countries where the postal regulations require that samples should be open for examination in transit, the stamp is placed under the tongue instead of over it.

The two parts composing the package are each struck out or formed from metal blanks, and when put together and handled or treated in the manner before described neither string, paper, nor other fastening is required.

Upon raising the tongue A and lifting the lid B the hinge-joint B A automatically divides and the cover becomes detached from the receptacle.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a box for containing articles or materials to be transmitted by post or otherwise, the cover having a rim with an inwardly-directed tongue in the rim at one side and extending substantially parallel With the top of the lid,

the box having vertical sides, there being a slotted aperture to receive through it the tongue 011 the lid, an upstanding tongue upon the box at the side opposite to the slotted ap- 

